Our Blog
The Mashpi Amagusa Reserve Saved By Donations
The Basantes family now owns 62-hectares of their precious Mashpi Amagusa Reserve thanks to kind donors.
Summer Rafting Trip Packing List: Our Best Picks
This list is built for warm weather rafting, the kind of trip where the water is cold but the air isn't, and you're in shorts and sun gear rather than a wetsuit. Our outfitter's list for our overnight trip on the Rogue River got us started, but it didn't include a few...
The Mashpi Amagusa Reserve Saved By Donations
The Basantes family now owns 62-hectares of their precious Mashpi Amagusa Reserve thanks to kind donors.
Summer Rafting Trip Packing List: Our Best Picks
This list is built for warm weather rafting, the kind of trip where the water is cold but the air isn't, and you're in shorts and sun gear rather than a wetsuit. Our outfitter's list for our overnight trip on the Rogue River got us started, but it didn't include a few...
Rumichaca: The Border That Reveals Who We Always Were
Even though it separates two countries on a map today, the Rumichaca border crossing between Ecuador and Colombia is surprisingly young, which is why Jacquie treats this less like a practical crossing guide and more like a love letter to the shared identity this line...
Follow the Crows: Birding a Different Trail in Portland
Scott and I headed out birdwatching today in downtown Portland, following a trail of charcoal black feathers lying on the ground like breadcrumbs leading to treasure. In anticipation of LAIKA's upcoming stop-motion film Wildwood, based on the first book in the beloved...
Does a Casual Birder Need a Spotting Scope?
Does a casual birder needs a spotting scope? Ask AI and the answer is no, scopes are heavy and expensive. Scott thinks a little differently. In the right conditions, a spotting scope like the Maven CS.1.A. can make the difference between simply spotting a bird and...
Dancing Like the Chuquiaj in Cuemal, Peru
A day in Cuemal, Peru: joining a rain dance named for a small bird, visiting the spring where the ritual was born, and eating a seven-potaje feast grown steps away.
Why Is It So Hard to Find a Rain Jacket With Real Coverage?
Looking for a rain jacket that goes below your waist? Scott writes about three excellent options in this article; the Skybird and Stormbird by Finisterre and the Halkon by Paramo. Any of these jackets would be an excellent choice for men or women taking part in a wide...
Raft or Hike? Choosing My Adventure on the Rogue River
"Get on the raft." I was sitting in the sand at the edge of the Rogue River, a few feet from the raft I'd been riding downstream. My husband Scott and I were about to hike up to the Rogue River Ranch, a historic pioneer farm, and then on to Inspiration Point —...
A Beginner’s Guide to the Harney County Migratory Bird Festival
Although Montana proudly claims the title of “Big Sky Country,” southeastern Oregon makes a compelling argument for the nickname too. In spring, the landscape around Malheur National Wildlife Refuge stretches wide beneath dramatic skies, storm clouds hanging low over...
GORUCK X-Pac Review: Better for Travel Than Cordura?
In this review, Scott Drake puts GORUCK's X-PAC GR2 and X-PAC GR3 backpacks to the test, comparing X-PAC fabric against traditional Cordura for water resistance, travel performance, and everyday use. If you're looking for the best waterproof travel backpack for...